Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Lessons learned...

As I sit here for a moment - while Luke is
sleeping and in 30 minutes my senior girls are coming over - in between
moments- I find that I wish I could share with you what living in Africa has
done for our family! There are so many deep lessons that are taught when we get
out of our comfort zone! I am reminded - it is about what God is doing in us! He stretches
and shapes us to continually to make us more like Him. Some days it is
utterly exhausting and other days it is deeply amazing to see the areas where
we learning and growing! So while my moment is slipping away - my lesson learned is this-

The grass is not greener on the other side. Tina just recently came back for a 3-week visit to
renew her visa. She was craving home. She was craving her Malawian
culture and all that is included with that. She needed her food, family,
and friends. She came here excited and so glad to be back. But as
the weeks continued she quickly realized that it is not what she had imagined.
It wasn't bad - it was just different. Her perspective had changed,
as does anyone who lives outside his or her home country. She
realized, that now she needs to call home and plug in, wherever she may be in
the world. Not to think - if I was here or there -I would be happier -
But I will be happy where I am.

My moment of clarity came when I was back in the
states- sitting on my front porch and after having an amazing Dr Pepper Big
Gulp. (I can just taste it) I had everything I thought that would make me
happy. Cozy food, cozy family, cozy house and cozy friends. But I
was sooooo crabby for no reason. Unthankful and crabby! I was talking
with Bob about it and realized it's not Africa that makes life hard sometimes
(this is was about a month after coming back from Malawi). It's not the
things that I don't have while I am in Africa or when things get uncomfortable.
It is just me! Me! I am stuck with my responses and me. So
when I find myself getting crabby these days- I am choosing to find things to
be grateful for. It changes my perspective. It makes me realize
that I am wasting my precious energy on my yuck and my bad attitude. I
can tell you that it is not always this easy to do. But that is what I am
doing to grow and change! Keeping things in perspective. The grass is not greener on the other
side! I just need to fertilize the grass I have been given!

This is a great post and I gather strength and a smile from it as I am here in France for 2 months and having some crabby moments myself. Parenting without my hubby here has been a major challenge. Irritation levels amongst me and the kids can be high. Taking a breath and getting perspective is not always easy, but always the best way for me to see it in a different way.Love ya!Mandy

Bob, Amy, Nya , Analise and Luke

Email us: amystauffacher@yahoo.com or bobstauffacher@yahoo.com

What are we doing at African Bible College...

We are serving at African Bible College in Malawi, Africa. Bob is full time teacher at the college. He teaches about 4 different bible classes in the Master's program and undergraduate and does weekly outreaches into local villages with the 400 college students that go to ABC. Amy is a mama and wife first. Also, she is an x-ray tech at the campus clinic and is involved many other projects of the campus. The girls go to school on the campus at the ABC Christian Academy. Luke gets to sleep, eat and hang out with people all day!

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Make the check payable to African Bible College with Stauffacher in the memo line.